Gate-operating means.



B. e. SEWELL.

GATE OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. I915.

1,165,544; Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI-H C(LJVASHINOTON. u c.

BURTON G. SEWELL, OF COLFAX, IOWA.

GATE-OPERATING Means.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURTON G. SEWELL, a citizen of the United States, andr-esident of Colfax, in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Gate-Operating Means, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a gate operating means for controlling a gate from a distance, having parts of si1nple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide such a gate controlling means having parts so arranged and constructed that the gate will automatically latch or look in its opened or closed positions, and also. so arranged that when power is exerted for opening the gate the free end of the gate is slightly raised for releasing it from the latch device on the adjacent post.

Still a further object is to provide such a gate controlling means, so arranged and constructed that after each operation the controlling mechanism on eachside of the gate moves to position for properly operating the gate from either side.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide such a device in which the controlling mechanism may be readily and easily adjusted, making it possible to open or close the gate from positions at different distances from the hinged end of the gate, whereby practically the same mechanism may be used for gates of different lengths.

My invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a gate and controlling mechanism. embodying my inventi0n,'the gate being shown in its open position. Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of the same. Fig 3 shows a horizontal, sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Fig; 1. Fig. 1 shows a similar view, the gate being shownin its closed position, and Fig. 5 shows a plan viewof a slightly modified form of the plate forming a part of my device. 7 7

It is well-known that in a great many of the gates which may be opened from a distance, there is a large amount of heavy,

' complicated and expensive mechanism em- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915 Application filed February 23, 1915. Serial No. 10,135.

ployed to control the gate. It is my particular purpose, as hereinbefore mentioned, to provide a mechanism which is very inexpensive for the reason that it is simple to make, and may be manufactured with a minimum number of parts.

i In. the exemplification of my invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the post at the end of the gate, which is spaced from the post 11 at the free end of the gate. The gate 12 may be hinged to the post 11 in any suitable way. As shown in the accompanying drawings, vertical, spaced, parallel eye bolts 13 are mounted in the post 10, as shown in Fig. 1. The hingedi end of the gate is provided with suitable, vertically alined bearings 14 designed to rest above the respective eye bolts 13, with the openings in the bearings 14: in alinement with each other and with the eyes of the eye bolts 13. Extended through said openings and eyes is an upright rod 15. The openings hereinbefore referred to are of such size as to allow some play of the rod 15 in the bearings, so that the gate may not only swing gage the latch plate 18.

Rotatably mounted on the side of the post 10 adjacent to the post 16 is an upright rod or shaft 21, the lower end 22 of which is extended substantially parallel with the gate when the latter is closed. A link 23 is pivoted at one end to'the end of the extension 22, and at the other end to the gate 12 at a point between the hinged points of the gate and the free end thereof.

Fixed at the upper end of the rod or shaft 21 is a plate 24, which may be substantially rectangular in outline and is preferably longer than it is wide. When the gate is in its closedposition, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the plate 24. stands in the po sition shown by the dotted lines in said figure. The plate 24 is provided with two slots 25 and 26, which may be straight, as Shawn 1n Fig. 5, or curved on the arcs -of ClIClGS' -.the roadway, and a similarly oppositely extending arm mounted on the post 16.

Pivoted to the arms 29 and30 respectively are levers comprising portions 31 extending away from the post 10 from the pivotal points of said levers, and. ortions 32 extending generally toward the post 10 and inclined upwardly from the pivotal points of said levers. On the upper ends of the portions 32 are downwardly extending portions carrying weights 33. A link 34: is pivoted to the. right hand member 32, and is provided at one end with a downward extension 35 1eceived in the slot 26. A two part link 36 is pivoted to the left hand member '32, and is provided with a downwardly extending member 35 received in the slot 25. The link 36 is composed of two parts secured together by yokes 37 and plates 38.

Any suitable means may be used for connecting the two parts of the link 36 in such a manner that they may be quickly and easily disconnected for varying the total length of said link, whereby my improved I .gate controlling mechanism maybe easily and quickly adjusted for use with gates 12 of different lengths.

' Pivoted to the outer ends of the members 31% aredownwardly hanging controlling hanes 39.

In thepracticaloperation of my improved gate,assuming that the gate is in its open position, as shown in Fig. 2, then the extension 35 on the member 34: will be in the pocket 27' at the left hand end of the slot 26, and the extension 35 of the left hand link 36 will be received within the right hand pocket 27 of the left hand slot; 25. If it is then desired to close the gate,either ofthe handles 39 may be grasped and drawn downwardly. The operation of the parts is practically the same regardless of which mem .ber 31 is moved. Assuming for the sake of lllustratlon, that the left hand member 39 is drawn downwardly, then the plate 24 will i be swung fromits position shown by the full lines in Fig. 2 to its position shown by the dotted lines in said figure, thereby rotating the rod or shaft 21, and through the link 23 and arm 22 swinging the gate to its closed po- I .sition. It should be noted in this connection that the extension 22 and the link 23 are of they are curved as illustrated, and terminate 'i 7 position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the rotation of the rod 21 tends to push the upper hinged end. of the gate toward the post 10, and

thereby to raise the free end of the gate for H releasing the latch members. Theparts 22 and 23 just described are also so constructed than when the gate is in its open position, as r 7 shown in Fig. 3, the rotation of the rod 21 tends to pull the upper portion ofthe gate toward the post 10,and thereby to raise the free end of the gate.

Referring again to the illustration of the operation of the gate, it should be noted that; as soon'as .the'gate swings to closed position, so with the plate 2lshown in its position'illus trated by dotted lines in Fig.2, the extension 35 of the left hand link 36 will pass out of the pocket in which it stood during the swinging movement of the gate and will '85 be'moved by the weight 33 in the slot 25' to the opposite pocket'27. The other 'extension 35 will also be impelled by the other weight 33 until it slides to the opposite end:; of the slot 26 from that in which itstood when the gate was open. Theparts are thus automatically moved to position for. again operating the gate from either side thereof. 7

In Fig. 5 I have showna slightly modified: 7 form of the plate which I haveindicated by the reference character 24: provided with parallel slots 25 and 26 which are substantially straight except at their ends where in the pockets 27 It will be understood that some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device, with- 'out departing from its essential features,"':

and it is my intent to cover by this application any such changes which may be included within the scope of my claims.

7 I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a2.

post, a gate hinged thereto to swing horizon- Y tally, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent to the hinged end of said gate, means for operativelyconnecting said shaft and said'gate for swinging the gate when the shaft is ro-Ify tated, a plate on said shaft provided with curved slots having offset pocketsj'at their ends, supports, levers mounted thereon having extensions inclined away from the levers r at obtuse angles and toward the said post; weights on said extensions,'links pivoted to the respective extensions, said links having downward extensions received in the respective slots, said parts being so arranged that 7 when one of said levers is moved to raise one of said extensions and draw it away from the post, the downward extension on the link secured to the member raised will engage the plate in one of the pockets and move it, thereby rotating'the shaft, said-parts beingFi; also so arranged that whenthe gate is swung from open to closed position or vice versa, said weights will cause said upward extensions to drop downwardly, thereby moving said links for carrying the extensions thereon to the pockets at the opposite ends of said slots.

2. In a device of the class described, a post, a gate hinged thereto, a shaft rotatably mounted adjacent to the hinged end of said gate, means for operatively connecting said shaft and said gate for swinging the gate when the shaft is rotated, supports, levers mounted on the respective supports, having extensions inclined away from the levers at obtuse angles and toward said post, weights on said extensions, links pivoted to said extensions, and means for operatively connecting said links with said shaft whereby when the gate is in either its open or its closed position either of said levers may be moved for raising the extension thereof for moving the gate to its other position, said means being so constructed that after the gate has been thus moved, the weights will move said links to proper positions for permitting the gate to be again operated from either lever.

Des Moines, Iowa, January 8, 1915.

BURTON e. SEWELL.

Witnesses:

A. SHERMAN, JULIA MAHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

